Ajax Amsterdam vs. Real Madrid - Football Match Report

Real Madrid against Ajax would typically be a clash of stars against prodigies but, when they face each other in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie today, the difference will be harder to distinguish. Their previously solid defense crumbled late last month in a 6-2 defeat to archrival Feyenoord and Erik ten Hag's team slumped to a 1-0 defeat on Saturday to Heracles Almelo.

Real coach Santiago Solari, whose predecessors Zinedine Zidane and Julen Lopetegui both used young players only when they had to, has made youth his first choice since being tasked with rejuvenating his team in November. Tomorrow is very important for this competition and this is where we focus. "There we can learn from Madrid - they created less chances but scored more goals".

Those two games highlighted the question Solari has to resolve in Holland: against Barcelona he played the experienced Marcelo at left back and watched as Barca picked on the Brazilian time and again, exposing his poor positioning and clearly marking him as the weak link in the Madrid defense. "We are playing the victor of the last three Champions Leagues".

Ajax thought they had taken the lead 10 minutes later when Nicolás Tagliafico nodded home from close range, but after consultation with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) the goal was ruled out for an offside.

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